تَقولُ وقَد لاحَت لَها في مفارقي

تَقولُ وقَد لاحَت لَها في مفارقي

كَواكِبُ يَخفى غيرها وهي لائِحه

كَواكِبُ يَخفى غيرها وهي لائِحه

She says, having glimpsed in the partings of my hair

You say, as stars appeared to me upon our parting,

stars—all others hidden, while these shine:

Hidden by others while still shining bright.

أراكَ مُحِبّاً لا مُحَبّاً فعَدّ عَن

أراكَ مُحِبّاً لا مُحَبّاً فعَدّ عَن

مكابدةٍ تشقى بها لا مسامَحه

مكابدةٍ تشقى بها لا مسامَحه

"I see you loving, not beloved; turn away from

I see you loving, not loved, so refrain

a struggle that brings you misery, not indulgence.

From suffering through which you persevere, not forgiving.

تروحُ وتغدو جانحاً عن مَحَبَّةٍ

تروحُ وتغدو جانحاً عن مَحَبَّةٍ

إليّ ونفسي عن وصالِكَ جَانِحَه

إليّ ونفسي عن وصالِكَ جَانِحَه

You go at dusk and at dawn, inclining out of love

You leave and go, turning away from a love

toward me, while my soul turns away from union with you.

For me, and my soul turns away from your union.

إِذا ما شَبابي نالَ شيبُكَ عِطفَهُ

إِذا ما شَبابي نالَ شيبُكَ عِطفَهُ

فخاسرةٌ نَفسي ونفسُكَ رابحَه

فخاسرةٌ نَفسي ونفسُكَ رابحَه

If your gray hair reaches the flank of my youth,

If my youth gains your affection in your old age

then my soul loses, and yours gains."

My soul loses, yours wins, a profitable trade.

ولو عَلمتْ سني لما كان لومُها

ولو عَلمتْ سني لما كان لومُها

عليّ سناناً جارحاً كلَّ جارحه

عليّ سناناً جارحاً كلَّ جارحه

And had she known my age, her reproach would not have been

Had my years but known, no blame would be

a spearhead against me, wounding every limb.

On me, though blaming years that lacerate each laceration.

لشيَّبني في عنفوانِ شَبيبَتي

لشيَّبني في عنفوانِ شَبيبَتي

لقائي مِنَ الأَيّامِ دَهياءَ فادِحه

لقائي مِنَ الأَيّامِ دَهياءَ فادِحه

Indeed, I was turned gray in the prime of my youth

It made me gray in my youthful prime

by encountering a terrible, crushing calamity from the days,

Meeting, from days, a hugely injurious confrontation.

وقَطعِيَ غَولَ القَفرِ في مَتنِ سابِحٍ

وقَطعِيَ غَولَ القَفرِ في مَتنِ سابِحٍ

وخوضيَ هَوْلَ البَحرِ في بَطنِ سابِحه

وخوضيَ هَوْلَ البَحرِ في بَطنِ سابِحه

and crossing the desert's vast expanse on a galloping steed's back,

And traversing the beasts' terrain on a flowing mount

and plunging through the sea's terror in a floating vessel's belly.

And plunging into the sea's awe on a flowing dive.

وما ضرّها كافورُ شيبي وتحتهُ

وما ضرّها كافورُ شيبي وتحتهُ

لمسك شبابي كلُّ فِعلٍ ورائِحه

لمسك شبابي كلُّ فِعلٍ ورائِحه

And what harm did the camphor of my gray hair do her, when beneath it

Unharmed by the camphor of my grayness, underneath

the musk of my youth has all its potency and fragrance?

Is my youthful musk, every deed and scent effusive.